Peppercorn Beef Flambe

This is a stripped-down steak au poivre, the French bistro dish where cracked pepper, butter, brandy, and cream do all the talking. Flank steak (London broil) is pressed with cracked peppercorns on both sides, seared hard in butter, and finished with a flambeed brandy-cream pan sauce that you spoon over the sliced meat.

Flank steak is not the traditional cut (filet or strip usually are), but it is more affordable and the cross-grain slicing gives each bite a tender bite against the pepper crust. Four minutes per side over a moderate flame produces a proper medium-rare interior under a dark, peppery sear. The brandy flambe is theater with a purpose: it cooks off the raw alcohol while concentrating the fruit notes into the butter fond.

Chef Tips

• Press the peppercorns hard into the meat. A light dusting falls off in the pan and leaves the crust pale.
• Use unsalted butter. Salted butter burns faster, and you need high heat for the sear.
• Flambe off the heat and away from overhead vents. Return to heat once flames die down.
• Let the steak rest 5 minutes before slicing against the grain at a shallow angle for tender pieces.

Variations

• Use green peppercorns in brine for a more herbaceous, less sharp version.
• Add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to the cream sauce for tangy depth.
• Swap flank for hanger, skirt, or strip steak depending on the occasion.